Rating: 
Summary: Hackman and Hoffman deliver, but Weisz steals the show.
Review: Fairly decent Grisham movie that is not faithful to the book but is a solid movie none the less thanks particularly to the fine ensemble cast whom give their all to make this film a good movie. Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman give a real level of clarity to their roles, and are equally match in the intensity department, and the confrontation they have is memorable. Dustin gives the right kind of feel to his righteous southern lawyer, and Gene is gives the right kind feel to his menacing portrayal of a jury consultant. Even with these two acting legends facing off on screen, they are no match for the powerful and graceful performance of Rachel Weisz, who not only steals the show from right under the noses of our two acting gladiators but also manages to match Hackman and Hoffman in the intensity department as well. Her powerful performance is the real reason that this movie worked for me, and along with the great performances of Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman and John Cusack, the movie rises above its problems, and manages to entertain despite the fact that its not really related to the book on which it came from. It's well worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Trust Jury or Not?: Slick but Impalusible Legal Thriller
Review: Now another John Grisham novel comes on to the screen, and though the film's story is implausible, it remains a slick legal thriller all through. This time again it is set in New Orleans, but differs greatly from "Time to Kill" at one point: Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman in the same film. And the film is not about the case itself; it's about the jury, or the system of jury. "Runaway Jury" starts with a lawsuit against a gun maker whose munitions happened to have gone to the wrong hand of a criminal, who killed a loving husband. Gene Hackman's Rankin Finch, top-notch jury co-ordinator for the defence, armed with high-tech profiling system stands for the company while Dustin Hoffman's lawyer Wendall Rohr rises against them with his only weapon: his creed. But when they have to select the 12 people for the jurors of the case, one unexpected factor is thrown in, in the shape of John Cusack's juror Nick Easter, who acts very strangely. If you want to fully enjoy the film, don't read on, and just see the film. When Rachel Weisz also steps in, you are pretty sure what is really going on behind the door, and probably what you guess is right. All I can say is that "Runaway Jury" can boast two great actors Hackman and Hoffman, but its story is, slick as it is, pretty incredible to most of us as it goes on, and Cusack and Weisz, though playing the key roles, should have been more interesting characters. You get supporting actors like Luis Guzman, Jennifer Beals, Nora Dunn, Bill Nunn, and Cliff Curtis as the jurors, but mostly what they do is (except for Curtis) very small. Actually I almost failed to notice Jennifer Beals is there. And you also see these reliable actors like Jeremy Piven or Bruce Davidson, but the film seems to forget thet they are even standing there before tha camera. Director Gary Fleder is always keeping a good pace, and it is a surprise that they included some comments about an on-going social issue like guns in USA. But the fact is, the original book included a tabacoo company, but probably because of "The Insider," the filmmakers switched tabacoo to gun. This change could have made the film more political, but perhaps wisely (or not) it relies on its speedy development of the plot, not on this social matter, to make itself very hot. See it as a thriller, and though the story is often too unbelievable, it gives some gripping moments, and great acting from the two leads.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Hard to Swallow but a good film anyway.
Review: Hard to swallow court thriller that is save by the great acting of all that was involved. Gene Hackman was great as ever and keeps the movie afloat even when it becomes more a silly suspends film than a court thriller. Rachel Weisz is great as well and helps Hackman keep the movie afloat with her performance and Dustin Hoffman and John Cusack follow suite with their great performances as well. If you are willing to suspend reality for two hours then this movie is for you. If you like real courtroom drama, get something other than this. The whole movie is too much to handle in the reality department.
Rating: 
Summary: A Vanity project for liberals
Review: John Grisham's based novella is more hype than substance thanks to the over hyped first time paring of Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman which is in fact good but needed a better showcased than this over preaching mess that has really no point to make. Hoffman does not really have a chance to stand toe to toe with the great Hackman because he basically has a bit role that puts him on the sideline midway during the film. John Cusack does well in his role and gives another great performance, but it's the intense and powerful performance of Rachel Weisz that is really the highlight of the movie. She not only gives Gene Hackman a run for his money but also gives him a worthy acting adversary to play with, something in my opinion he had not had in a very long time. The performances of Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz are almost worth the price of admission alone for this movie, but they can't save this film from imploding by its own smug vanity. A vanity that would rather sugar coat the issues than to give it a real meaning and with a country that is very divided in the issues raised in this movie, that is not acceptable.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Movie of the Year
Review: Although the plot was changed from a suit against a tobacco company to a suit against a gun company the change is for the better. Gene Hackman deserves an Oscar for his amazing yet evil role as Rankin Fitch. Hackman takes some corny lines and sells like no other actor could. This suspenseful flick is the best time you'll have watching a movie all year.
Rating:
Summary: Runaway Responsibility.
Review: Runaway Jury is the equivalent to seeing a democratic convention being covered live on Television. All the flair of the righteous few but no real solutions to help the real problems at hand, which is the case with this well intention but really flawed movie. It's easy to see the ramifications of the violence other to see who is really responsible because of the need to identify with the victim, which is noble but flawed because we are can be easily blinded by our outrage and need for justice. The makes of Runaway Jury would rather make a moratorium on outrage other than a platform for conflicting views, and it's the viewer who pays for it in the long run because it gives a very simple answer to a very complex, and not very simple problem. Despite the flaws of this well-meaning exercise in righteousness, it's the performances that are really the real reason to digest this movie. Gene Hackman plays this character all the time, but he does it so well that you don't mind seeing him do it again. Dustin Hoffman is just as good as well but it seemed like he was just following on Hackman's coat tails in certain scenes even though their big face off in the mens room is a classic. The real kicker though is Rachel Weisz, who actually steals the movie from both of them with a superb performance that literally makes your heart jump. You root for her all the way, even when her motives and politics are not really fully explain. Despite the strong performances of Weisz, Hackman, and Hoffman, The movie fails to put a real face on the gun problem, and to parade gun shot victims in order to try to sell a side in order to outrage the viewer in just as irresponsible as the gun manufactures who depend on the gun nuts in order to sell their product
Rating:
Summary: All the elements of a great film.
Review: I recommend this movie as a must see to anyone I know. When my family and my wife's family went to see this movie, we didn't know what to expect since the reviews were giving it 4/5 stars. To our surprise, from beginning to end we were all captured with the rollercoaster of events and totally unnexpectd twists and double twists that brilliantly were directed in this movie of superb acting. All the actors presented their characters to perfection. Too bad is not what experts believe should be Oscar material, but when we left the theater, we all felt the movie should be 6 out of 5 stars. I guess the story is not for everybody though, just like the Matrix or Bruce Almighty, so you have people that cannot relate giving this 4/5 stars instead.
Rating:
Summary: Walk don't run
Review: Another legal thriller from John Grishham as formulaic as the second and other movies. The book took on tobacco, which is a better story in my mind than guns. But that's Hollywood and speaking of Hollywood...No heat between Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman, not like the DeNiro - Pacino face-off. Hackman and Hoffman are both fine actors that create intrigue and excitement with the characters they bring to life, but this movie forces it and it never worked for me. John Cusack does a fine and believable job and should be considered the next generation's Hackman or Hoffman. My problem is with the story, how it was told and the portions not told. Juries always surprise, but we should be able to understand motive. Very forgettable, save the performances. Wish they had saved the cast for a better script.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham movie that lacks the wit and charm of the book.
Review: Bad and I do mean bad adaptation to the bestseller by John Grisham lacks almost every thing that made that book such a joy to read. The original story and plot points is replace by a run in the mil lesion in gun control that is bias in so many ways that it becomes an real eye sore. The only things that makes this movie remotely interesting is the fine performances of Rachel Weisz and Gene Hackman who makes this travesty a treat to watch for the two plus hours in the theater because they make you believe that what is happening is plausible, even when every thing in the movie feels like one big imaginary thrill ride from a theme park attraction that ends too quickly, and is forgotten. Other than the fine performances of Hackman and Weisz, the movie feels artificial to the point of becoming funny in all the wrong places. We have the good guys in white hats while we have the bad guys in black and none of the gray that makes up the real world. If they stayed with the book, and kept the great performances of Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz in it, we would be talking about Oscar right about now but because Hackman and Weisz are not giving a script to support their talent, we can only feel sorry for them for not being in a better movie.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Movie that is brought down by its own politics.
Review: Very good court room thriller that is brought down a few notches by its view of the gun issue. While I do believe that those who make the guns should take some responsibility for their actions, the actions of those who use them should not be excused as well. People kill people, and if we forget that simple fact, then we as people ourselves are doomed to repeat the cycle of violence. As for the movie as a whole, its really the performances that gets this film a passing grade from me, especially the acting turns of Gene Hackman, Rachel Weisz and John Cusack who literally make this film a cut above all the previous John Grisham movies that have came before (Including The Firm). The story is not from the original novel but that is ok considering that the original novel is not considered to be John Grisham best work anyway. Don't see it for its politics, but see it for the great performances.
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